adventures with photos: featuring kristin sweeting

My beautiful and talented friend Kristin had the great idea of doing some food photography a few months back. She was in need of healthy recipes that are quick and easy to make. So we spent the day making food, taking pictures, and having fun. 

Kristin is a gluten-free foodie, a marathoner, and an all-around awesome friend. I really cannot speak highly enough of Kristin and her photography.  Plus, she uses film - which I think is pretty great. 

(hint: hire her for your next event!) 

I had a great time creating these new recipes for her and I'm excited to share them with you, too. 

Check out these recipes for some food inspiration. 

spaghetti squash with sautéed kale

It has been a cold and rainy week here in Nashville. I've been struggling to warm up and stay warm! So, I've been craving hot food. While smoothies, fresh fruit, and tasty salads will keep you energized and healthy this winter, sometimes you may just want some hot food.

I recently discovered spaghetti squash (how did I go so long without it?) and it is my current addiction. When  cooked, the squash strings out like spaghetti noodles. It tastes great and is an excellent alternative to processed noodles. With only 40 calories per cup, this veggie is very low in fat but high in vitamins and minerals. Try it - I think you'll love it, too.

spaghetti squash with sauteed kale
1/2 spaghetti squash
2 handfuls of curly kale
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 orange, juiced
1/2 lemon, juiced
1-2 tbsp. coconut oil

 




Preheat the oven to 370. Cut the spaghetti squash in half and place it face down on a sheet in your oven. I use a Silpat (stick-free), but if you're just using a cookie sheet you may want to add a little coconut oil so the squash doesn't get stuck. Cook for about 30 minutes. You'll know it is ready when the edges touching the sheet begin to brown.

When the squash has about ten minutes left of cooking time, begin to sautee the rest of the vegetables. On the stove, melt the coconut oil and add the garlic on medium heat. Once the garlic begins to brown, add the kale. Stir it around to evenly cook. Add the tomatoes and mushrooms and let it sautee for about 2 minutes on medium heat. Squeeze the orange and lemon juice on top and continue to sautee. 
Take the squash out of the oven. Holding it in one hand (with an oven mit) begin to scrape out the "spaghetti" using a fork until only the hard shell is left. Top your "spaghetti" with the sauteed veggies from the stove. Sprinkle a bit of pepper and sea salt on top. 

Enjoy!

thanksgiving day recipes

Yesterday I shared some tips for staying healthy and feeling great on Thanksgiving. Today I want to share some recipe ideas for the big day! If you're looking for more LFRV recipes, check out the rest of my blog and let me know what you'll be making. I hope this helps you celebrate Thanksgiving the vegan way! (  ;

pumpkin shake

2 ripe bananas

¼ sweet potato

½ cup almond milk

handful of ice

3 dates (or 2 tbsp raw honey, or 2 tbsp agave)

pumpkin pie spice (as much as you’d like!)

Blend together all ingredients and enjoy!

apple cinnamon smoothie

2 granny smith apples

½ ripe banana

1 cup coconut water

1 tbsp cinnamon

1-2 cups spinach or kale

Blend together all ingredients and enjoy!

raw kale salad

1 large bunch of curly kale

1 lemon

1-2 tbsp olive oil

dried cranberries

cherry tomatoes

sea salt & pepper

Chop the kale as finely as you’d like. Massage in lemon juice, olive oil, salt & pepper. Top with tomatoes and cranberries.

peachy arugula salad

1 large bowl of arugula

1 -2 ripe peaches

red onion

1 1/2 tbsp tahini

½ -1 lemon

garlic

Mix together the tahini, lemon juice, and a pinch of garlic.  Stir dressing into the arugula to cover the greens. Finely slice the peaches and onion and mix into salad. Top with balsamic. 

harvest quinoa salad

3 cups cooked quinoa

1 butternut squash

green onion

pecans

dried cranberries

Sea salt & pepper

Pinch of cayenne

Steam the quinoa per package directions. Steam the butternut squash and chop into small pieces. Chop the apple and green onion. Mix all ingredients together and top with spices. Serve on a bed of arugula. (recipe adapted from K&K)

mashed sweet potatoes

3 large sweet potatoes

1-1.5 cups orange juice

1 small banana

2 tsp. nutmeg

sea salt & pepper

coconut oil

Chop and steam the sweet potatoes. In your Vitamix, blend the banana, 1 cup orange juice, sweet potatoes, and nutmeg.  Add more orange juice or nutmeg to taste. Place in bowl and top with 2 tbsp coconut oil (melted) and salt & pepper.

cranberry sauce with mint
1 bag of fresh cranberries
juice of 2 oranges
2 small, sweet apples
up to 1/2 cup raw agave or honey
handful of mint leaves
Blend together cranberries, orange juice, honey, and apples until smooth. Finely chop fresh mint leaves and stir in. 

mini cherry pies

4 cups dates

2 cups raw almonds

3 cups fresh black cherries

In the food processor, chop 2 cups of dates and 2 cups of almonds until finely ground together. Line a cupcake dish with syran wrap and press date/almond mixture into the bottom and side of each cup. In your Vitamix, blend 2 cups of dates and 3 cups of cherries until smooth. Pour into cupcake dishes and chill for 3 hours before serving.

FullyRaw pumpkin pie

Kristina created this amazing recipe for a fully raw, vegan, low fat pumpkin pie. I cannot wait to try it!

3 lbs. dates

2 cups pecans

sugar pie pumpkin

1 ripe persimmon

ginger

cinnamon

vanilla bean

For step by step directions, click here.

So, what are you going to make for Thanksgiving? 

italian fix

Yes, another pasta recipe... I just can't get enough pasta these days. Plus, I want to prove to you that I don't just eat salad and bananas all day!

I am finding that the subtleties in flavor can make all the difference in a dish. Each pasta recipe is a little bit different, can satisfy a different craving, and brings out the different flavor tones in the tomato. 
So, last night I tried something new and I think it is my new favorite recipe (for now). It is not completely raw, but it is still low fat, gluten free, and vegan. 

 Here is goes... 

basil marinara pasta: 
3 round tomatoes off the vine
2 slices white onion
1-2 zucchinni
1 tsp garlic powder (or 1 garlic clove)
pinch of cayenne
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
pepper to taste
1 tsp coconut oil
4 leaves fresh basil

Coat a pan with the coconut oil and slice each tomato into 6 wedges. Spread the wedges and onion slices over the pan and broil for about 7 minutes - until the tomatoes look dry on the top and the onion begins to brown. If you have garlic cloves, add these to the pan to broil, too. While that is cooking, spiralize 1 large (or 2 small zucchini) and place on your plate. Place the cooked tomatoes and onion (and 1 garlic clove) into the blender and add the cayenne, pepper, and sun-dried tomatoes. If you did not have garlic cloves, add the garlic powder into the blender. Blend until chunky. Pour warm sauce over your zucchini noodles and top with the fresh basil. 

Enjoy!

mango gazpacho

It seems like we're all fighting to stay cool in this summer heat! With temperatures over 100 degrees, we are getting quite the summer. I love feeling the warmth, though...especially when I can relax with some summer snacks or a refreshing meal. 

So, gazpacho for dinner it is! Gazpacho is a chilled, tomato based, chunky soup that you typically find in Spain. It is filling and refreshing at the same time. I used a couple of mangoes in mine to add some sweetness and brighten up the soup. I also had a huge heirloom tomato from the garden that I was excited to eat. This recipe was incredibly easy to create, but had some really great flavors. I'm excited to share it!

mango gazpacho:

2 mangoes

1-2 large tomatoes

2 cups spring mix

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. tumeric

1/2 red bell pepper

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 cup cilantro

If you can, chill all ingredients in the fridge before preparing. Chop up all ingredients and blend together in your Vitamix (or blender). I preferred my soup a little chunky, so I blended on the low setting until everything was mixed up. Pour into a bowl and top with avocado, red onions, and more tomato. A little hot sauce would be nice, too. I used spring mix today, but spinach would also work.


This recipe makes about 2 bowls. Since it is LFRV, you could eat both... or share with a friend. 

Enjoy!

more pasta, please

Not gonna lie... I had two plates of this...

This veggie pasta took about ten minutes to make, but was incredibly savory. It is a new favorite for sure. 

veggie pasta:

1 zucchini

1 large tomato, diced

1 cup chopped broccoli

sliced red onion

1 tbsp. coconut oil

fresh pepper, to taste

chopped garlic

fresh chopped basil

fresh chopped oregano

1 tbsp. nutritional yeast

Spiralize the zucchini and place in a bowl. In a saucepan, melt the coconut oil and sauté the onion and garlic for about a minute. Add the chopped broccoli and stir. Once the broccoli begins to brown, add the tomato and herbs. Pour mixture over the zucchini and top with pepper and nutritional yeast. 

Enjoy!